Despite the general rise in prices, it’s impossible to pass up the traditional bûche de Noël. These are the 6 French patisseries in Los Angeles that are making the bûche the star of the holiday season.
Pitchoun Bakery
Pitchoun Bakery, the star French bakery and patisserie in Downtown LA, run by husband-and-wife team Fabienne and Frédéric Souliès, is releasing its collection of traditional buttercream bûches in vanilla, chocolate, and coffee. Lighter, and with a trendier, more stylish look, three bûches de Noël complete the range, with a Mont-Blanc version (with candied chestnuts, whipped cream mousse, Italian meringue, and vanilla genoise), another named Hawaii (with strawberry cheesecake, strawberry purée, fromage frais mousse, vanilla genoise), and the last in homage to the Aspen ski resort (dark chocolate mousse, hazelnut crunch, salted butter caramel and chocolate genoise). For Christmas Eve or holiday parties, the maison also offers a selection of sweet and savory canapés, breakfast snacks with pain d’épices and Kouglof, and croissants with chestnut cream.
Pitchoun bûches are designed to serve 8 people. The traditional versions are priced at $45, and the specialty versions at $48. Pre-orders accepted until December 21. Delivery from $100 possible by calling 213 689 3240. 545 South Olive Street.
Maison Macha
Three years after its launch, Maison Macha, the French vegan patisserie in Culver City, has made its mark in Los Angeles. A recent partner of Vegan Fashion Week, for which the bakery prepared some delicious cakes, founder Macha Eliad has just announced her vegan and 100% gluten-free bûches for Christmas: the first with dark chocolate and hazelnut on a brownie base, and the second with white chocolate, pistachio and strawberry. For Christmas, Macha is also offering boxes of macarons (pistachio, passion fruit, raspberry and milk chocolate).
The bûches are available for pre-order until December 14. The price for each is $65. Order from: 9626 Venice Boulevard, tel. 424 392 9501.
Ladurée
In Los Angeles, the two Ladurée stores, in Beverly Hills and Glendale, are ready for Christmas. In addition to its traditional boxes, this year the maison is adding a bûche in the form of multiple macarons. In terms of flavors, the bûches combine chocolate and hazelnut, on a crunchy hazelnut praline base, a moist biscuit with hazelnut cream, a few touches of salted caramel, and a Macaé chocolate cream, all topped with a mini Eugénie caramel macaron, a creation inspired by the Empress Eugénie which combines a crunchy milk chocolate shell, a fleur de sel caramel heart, and a shortbread biscuit. Individual chocolate-hazelnut and vanilla-pecan formats are also available.
The Ladurée bûche is available in a 6-8-person format for $78, with individual versions at $10.50. 311 N Beverly Drive, tel. 310 623 1100. 889 Americana Way at Americana at Brand, Glendale, tel. 646 957 7403.
Ludivine Paris
Opened just over a year ago, Ludivine Paris, Ludivine and Samuel Bellahssen’s bakery-patisserie in the Rancho Park neighborhood near the Lycée Français, has just unveiled its traditional Christmas bûches. The creations feature a sleek, modern design and two star recipes: a chocolate and caramel version (chocolate biscuit, praline feuillantine, a salted butter caramel heart, chocolate mousse, and a velvety chocolate couverture) decorated with chocolate shavings; and a vanilla and raspberry version (almond biscuit, praline feuillantine, a raspberry heart, and vanilla mousse) adorned with white meringue and pastel pink.
Ludivine Paris bûches are available in 8 to 10-person formats at a price of $79. Order up to 48 hours in advance at 424 832 7166 or via their website. 10509 Pico Boulevard.
Sweet Lily Bakery
Marine and Thibault, the pastry chefs at Sweet Lily Bakery, which has two locations in Los Angeles, bake nearly 2,000 bûches every Christmas. For their 2023 collection, the duo have created no fewer than 7 recipes, including Triple Pleasure, a crispy praline bûche with three layers of Hollywood chocolate mousse; Red Carpet, a bûche that combines raspberry mousse with a core of Madagascar vanilla; and Santa, which combines strawberry mousse and pistachio mousse with roasted pistachio slivers. Three other variations complete the selection: the Caribbean version with mango; the Espresso with dark chocolate, coffee cream and vanilla genoise; and a traditional version with a vanilla rum biscuit and chocolate buttercream. Finally, Sweet Lily Bakery unveils its gluten-free Praliné bûches, with a base of almond dacquoise, milk chocolate mousse, and a praline cream center.
Sweet Lily Bakery bûches are available in 8 to 10-person formats for $62, or as individual portions for $8. Orders can be placed by e-mail, telephone or on site. 3315 Cahuenga Boulevard, tel. 323 499 1888, 9516 Culver Boulevard, tel. 424 603 4064.
Frenchifornia
Guillaume Delcourt and Thomas Dumont Girard, owners of Frenchifornia, Pasadena’s star bakery and patisserie, will be offering three made-to-order bûches this year. The recipes are based on tradition, with vanilla, chocolate, and chestnut cream versions, all made from sponge cake and buttercream, and decorated with holly leaves and Christmas decorations. And the store also offers vanilla and chocolate versions for 4 until the week of Christmas.
Bûches are available to order until December 21. The price of the bûches is $48 for 4 people, $96 for 8 people, and $144 for 12 people. 247 E Colorado Street, Pasadena, tel. 626 319 3031.
This article was originally published on French Morning, and has been translated into English by Catherine Rickman.
